If life wanted to do something to you and you could not resist it, then you could only do this and that. If you were not very resistant, then it would be much easier to do this and that. Based on this understanding, Ning Que quickly got rid of the shock and distress. He scratched his head and looked over Xu Chongshan's thick shoulders, through the window of the duty room, and said, "Can I ask another question?"
Xu Chongshan answered straightforwardly, "I'll answer if I can."
"Why me?" Ning Que asked.
Xu Chongshan answered, "Old Chao admires you. He thinks that if you are lucky, you will be even more successful than him in the future. Besides, because of what happened last night, Chang San and Chen Qi also think highly of you … According to the rules of the bodyguard office, whether it is a guard in the open or a guard in the dark, the senior's opinion is relatively more important."
"Your Excellency …" Ning Que covered his forehead and said, "If so many people know my identity as a guard in the dark, then I would like to know the meaning of the word 'dark'. Do you want me to go back to Lin 47th Street to light some firecrackers and pull up a few banners to tell the world that I did this? "
Of course, Xu Chongshan could hear the dissatisfaction and anger in his words. He frowned slightly and explained, "The Tang Empire is a place with rules. Even if the nobles in the palace know your identity, no one would dare to expose you and risk the wrath of His Majesty. As for Chang San and the others … they have already proven their loyalty and reliability. "
Ning Que put down his arms and shook his head. "Only time is the only standard to test the truth."
"They have used more than ten years to prove it." Xu Chongshan said expressionlessly, "But I like what you said. It's a pity that you want to enter the Academy, so you can only do it in the dark. Otherwise, based on Old Chao's admiration for you and what he said, I would really want to train you to be my successor."
"Although I, Xu Chongshan, was born in the army and still have some courage, I can't be as carefree as Old Chao. I don't even know who you are, yet I dare to put my life in your hands. After all, the Imperial Bodyguard is related to His Majesty's safety, so the Imperial Bodyguard Office has already investigated your ancestors."
"It's a pity that the Bodyguard Office only found that you were seven years old and confirmed that you were an orphan. They couldn't find your ancestors. But we know your performance in the City of Wei, and we like you very much."
Xu Chongshan stretched out his broad palm and patted Ning Que's shoulder heavily. He said, "Your military experience and the military achievements you have accumulated over the years are enough to prove your loyalty to His Majesty and the Tang Empire."
Ning Que did not panic when he heard that the bodyguard office had investigated him. He knew that no one in the world knew who he was except for Sangsang and the dead Darkie.
He slowly fiddled with the slightly damp waist token in his palm. After a moment of silence, he said, "According to what you said before, no one should take the initiative to contact me. So how should I report anything to you? I don't think we'll meet again in the palace, right? I never imagined that this kind of thing could be done in such an open and aboveboard place. "
"Why not?" Xu Chongshan said proudly, "There's no safer place in the world than the Tang Imperial Palace."
Ning Que sighed and reluctantly accepted the fact. He then raised his head and looked up expectantly. He said, "I can't let anyone know about the reward of reputation. Then … when can I meet the Emperor?"
Xu Chongshan looked at him blankly and then burst into laughter. He rubbed his round belly and laughed. "You little brat … Do you think that you're entering the palace today to meet the Emperor?"
"Isn't that so?"
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"What's your surname?"
"Ning."
Xu Chongshan looked at him and asked seriously, "You're not a centenarian and you're not a distant relative of the royal family. Then why are you so thick-skinned?"
Ning Que touched his cheeks which could barely be considered delicate and shook his head.
Xu Chongshan sighed and looked at the lad. He shook his head and said, "Chang III and the others have not seen His Majesty for many years. Then why do you think that you're qualified to meet the Emperor alone?"
After a moment of silence, Ning Que said seriously, "My handwriting is really good. If His Majesty likes it, he might be reluctant to let me be a bodyguard and directly summon me to the palace to be a reading attendant or something."
Xu Chongshan stopped smiling and looked at him mockingly. "Other than bodyguards, only eunuchs can stay in the palace all year round."
Ning Que's expression froze and he smiled awkwardly. He did not dare to continue this topic.
Xu Chongshan was the deputy commander of the Tang Imperial Guards and was naturally very busy. Today, he purposely took some time and even more time to summon this lad alone. This was already giving Chao Xiaoshu a lot of face. After the discussion, he naturally chased Ning Que away without hesitation and rushed back to the side of the Palace of Counsel to serve.
Ning Que walked out of the empty guard duty room and was worried about how he would get out of the palace. He wondered if he would end up in a spring willow palace like how he had entered the imperial study by mistake. He wondered if he would meet a cold and resentful woman in the palace and something really f * cked up. Or if he would meet a princess whom he thought was an idiot but still occasionally thought of … Then he saw the little eunuch who had led him into the palace standing beside him like a ghost.
Even though he wanted to question the little eunuch for not being clear about what he had told him and causing him to be tempted and frightened by the drugs in the imperial study, he finally kept his mouth shut for safety reasons. He obediently followed the little eunuch through the quiet willow path and the stone gate. He got on the cramped horse carriage and passed through the laundry station towards the outside of the palace.
Just as they were about to pass through the palace alley of the laundry station, Ning Que suddenly felt something and felt a tightness in his chest. He ignored the little eunuch's stern warning look and lifted a corner of the window curtain and looked out with furrowed brows.
His gaze passed through the narrow alley, the sounds of clappers and the smell of honey locust in the alley, and fell on the corner of a magnificent palace in the distance. On the eaves of the high blue sky, there were eight or nine beasts on the eaves with different expressions.
He did not know what these beasts on the eaves were called or what auspicious signs or monsters they were. He stared at them blankly and felt his chest getting tighter and tighter. His heart beat faster and faster as if it was about to break his ribs and jump out. As his heart beat faster, the beasts on the eaves in the distance became clearer and clearer. The lines of the tiles that had been washed by the wind and rain for hundreds of years became more and more lively, as if they would become living creatures in the next moment.
He groaned and covered his chest. He could not help but think of that rainy day when he and Sangsang saw the Vermilion Bird statue of Chang 'an for the first time. He stared at the beasts on the eaves in the palace fiercely and his face became paler and paler, but he refused to look away.
…
…
A very fierce quarrel broke out in the Imperial Study earlier. Xu Chongshan, the Deputy Commander of the bodyguards, and Eunuch Lin, the Deputy Director of the Inner Palace, stood outside the Imperial Study like two statues. No matter what they heard, they did not dare to show any expression on their faces. That was because the two bigwigs had a grandson sitting deep in their hearts. They were scared, confused and shocked to the extreme. At the same time, they felt that the person in the Imperial Study was too f * cking brave.
The Tang Empire had been in Tianqi for 13 years, and no one had ever seen the Emperor so angry. Even after the Spring Breeze Pavilion incident last night, the Emperor only slammed the table a few times and scolded 30 or so idiots. But today, in the Imperial Study, the Emperor had smashed several teacups and scolded many dirty words that should never be heard by others.
"Chao Xiaoshu! If you still don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for teaching you a lesson! "
"How to teach you a lesson? I … I … I really don't f * cking know! "
"You're so stupid and stubborn. Why don't you understand the principles of the world?"
"Fine, fine, fine. I'll call you Second Brother Chao for the last time today. Are you staying or not?"
The Imperial Study suddenly became quiet. Xu Chongshan and Eunuch Lin, who were outside the door, could not help but look at each other. They confirmed that the shock and envy in each other's eyes were no different from their own. They turned their heads again and silently looked at the flowers and trees again.
The room was silent for a long time. Then, Chao Xiaoshu's calm, gentle, but firm voice sounded.
"No."
A dull and crisp sound was heard. It should be the sound of the Tang Emperor smashing his most precious Huangzhou Mud Sinking Inkstone. Xu Chongshan and Eunuch Lin, who were guarding outside the door, could no longer remain silent. Xu Chongshan was especially worried that the Emperor would make a decision that he would regret in the future. He took two steps forward and was ready to knock on the door to admonish the Emperor.
At this moment, the door of the Imperial Study was pushed open with a squeak. Chao Xiaoshu, who was dressed in a green robe, stepped over the threshold and walked out. After the door behind him was closed, he turned around and knelt on the ground. He kowtowed three times solemnly and solemnly, as if he was a monarch and his subject.
Then, he stood up and smiled at Xu Chongshan and Eunuch Lin. He left the Imperial Study and walked out of the palace. There were no eunuchs or palace maids leading the way. He walked alone slowly, as if he was touring a garden. He had been to this palace many times in the past ten years and was very attached to it. Over the years, he did not enter the palace often and missed it very much.
As he walked to the shore of the big lake called Leaving Sea, Chao Xiaoshu looked at the lake quietly with his hands behind his back. He looked at the golden carps swimming happily in the lake. Suddenly, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a refreshing smile like the sun shining through the shade of willow trees.
Wherever his calm and smiling gaze fell, the figures of those merrily swimming golden carps suddenly stiffened, and they actually became completely still. They were like jade fish that were floating in a crystalline green wave, full of vitality, yet completely devoid of business.
Chao Xiaoshu murmured, "After being in the Confinement for a long time, I return to nature."
Heaven and earth were the Confinement, the human was trapped, the heart was the Confinement, the body was trapped. Once the Confinement of the heart was broken, the Confinement of heaven and earth would also be broken.
…
…
In the Imperial Study, the Golden Crown was carelessly thrown into a pile of firewood in the corner. The Tang Emperor stared angrily at the "Fish Leaping Across the Sea" written by Ling Chen on the table. His face was full of unwillingness and regret.
He did not know that in the corner of the bookshelf, someone had secretly added the "Flower Blooms on the Shore Shore" for him.
Suddenly, he raised his head and looked in the direction of the Imperial Garden through the window. His eyebrows slowly furrowed and then slowly relaxed. Finally, it turned into peace and relief. He said with a faint self-mockery, "Maybe you are really right."
…
…
In a certain palace, a Daoist priest of about forty years of age was taking the empress' pulse. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up. His finger rudely scratched the empress's plump wrist and he turned his head to look behind him in a daze.
The Empress slightly frowned and wondered why the Nation Master, who had always been quiet and gentle, would lose his composure like this.
The Taoist priest stared blankly and suddenly beat his chest and stamped his feet, howling, "I was wrong, I was really wrong. I should have persuaded His Majesty to let the little tree go earlier, or just let him enter the Academy …"
"With the ability of the Headmaster of the Academy and the little tree's understanding and state of mind, the Tang Empire will definitely have another peerless powerhouse in these years. Maybe we can even fight with the South Jin Kingdom. What a pity, what a pity, it's a pity that it's too late for more than ten years!"
…
…
In a side alley of the laundry bureau, Ning Que sat in the horse carriage and stubbornly stared at the beasts on eaves that seemed to be coming to life. His face became paler and his heart beat faster and faster. Suddenly, all the feelings disappeared.
…
…
In front of the Vermilion Bird Gate of the palace.
The middle-aged man looked back at the stone beasts on the eaves of the main hall and laughed loudly. His laughter was unusually free and clear, without any distracting thoughts. The beasts on eaves seemed to understand the meaning of his laughter and returned to peace and serenity.
In the midst of his laughter, he walked out of the main gate of the palace in a fluttering indigo robe.
From today onwards, Chang 'an would have one less leader called Old Chao from the Spring Breeze Pavilion.
There would be one more powerhouse in the world who entered the Knowing Destiny State while watching the fish in the lake.
…
…
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